Sitting is our gen's smoking

1-16-13: Great article and title on the dangers of sitting too much! If you set a lot, then read this article by the HBR Blog Network. The author talks about how she's incorporated "walking meetings" to combat this...what if we had "exergaming breaks" like smokers have smoking breaks?

One solution: Play a short 2-3 minute exergame every hour to protect your health!Instead of smoking areas, have "exergaming areas" where employees can break the hold of sitting too much, of hypokinetic disease!

Nice press for exergaming!

1-11-13: Finally some nice press on exergaming, reported by Discovery News and listed in the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation News Digest for Pediatric Obesity. A study on how exergames can help battle childhood obesity, a report on a study by lead author Todd Miller at GWU School of Public Health. Read about it here.

Call for manuscripts on Peds Obesity!

11-3-12:

The pandemic of overweight children has captured the attention of parents, educators, journalists, and researchers in many fields. Games for Health Journal: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications is now soliciting manuscripts for a special issue on childhood obesity scheduled to be published in 2013.

The Journal will accept manuscripts on virtually any research topic that involves using a videogame related to any aspect of childhood obesity including specific age, economic, and ethnic groups; comparison of the effectiveness of two or more games; comparison of videogame activities to either non-activity or traditional non-videogame activities; games and nutrition; videogames and behavior modification; and so on.

The deadline for manuscript submission: January 31, 2013

For manuscripts guidelines, click here.

Another study: Sitting is deadly! (And how exergaming can help)

10-15-12: These studies are coming out fast and furious, which I think is great because it gives us more ammo in the fight against hypokinetic disease!!!

A meta-analysis (18 studies and included a total of 794,577 participants) showed that your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and death were increased 2x if you sat for long periods of time.

What's even more disturbing (and backs up what other previous studies have found) is that this increased risk is INDEPENDENT of the amount of moderate-to-vigorous PA one gets, so even if you meet the PA guidelines, you are still at risk if you sit for long periods of time throughout the day.

What can you do to protect yourself? Don't sit for long periods of time!!! Office workers, college students, and other occupations that require you to sit for long periods of time are at risk so try and take small breaks every hour or so. Get up and move around, step in place, walk around your building or block, go up and down the stairs, etc. You could even play some active video games and have fun while you're taking a break! It only need be a few minutes to break it up, so active video games would be a great option for this kind of break.

Just because you get your PA for an hour a day doesn't mean you're safe to sit on your bum for the other 23 hours of the day!!!

Reference:
E. G. Wilmot, C. L. Edwardson, F. A. Achana, M. J. Davies, T. Gorely, L. J. Gray, K. Khunti, T. Yates, S. J. H. Biddle. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia, 2012; 55 (11): 2895 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-012-2677-z

Other reports on this study:
http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/why-sitting-is-unhealthy-the-newest-study/benefits-exercise/

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/uol-sfp101112.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121015090048.htm

Cooper Institute gets into serious video games!

8-28-12: The world-famous Cooper Institute, the non-profit arm of the Cooper Aerobic Center in Dallas, TX, has gotten into serious video games. Just came across this entry for The Quest to Lava Mountain in a contest for childhood obesity. You can see the trailer here and vote for it if you like it! Strictly a nutritional video game, but with the Cooper Institute getting into serious games, do you think that an exergame can't be far behind??? ;-)

Video games in the Olympics?

8-8-12: Rec'd this interesting article from Kotaku, discussing if video game play could make it into the Olympics. You can read more about it here. Got me thinking about the National Active Gaming League (NAGL) which I tried to organize a couple of years ago so glad to see this kind of thinking is still kicking around! Alas, if I had more time and $$ to really dedicate to the NAGL, maybe we could test this all out. Maybe someone who does have the resources will do it someday!

Targeting Sedentarianism with exergaming!

1-11-12: Happy New Year! I hope that you have a great holiday break. I'm sure many received some sort of exergame (such as a Wii or Kinect), and are using it to stay active in the new year.

As I look back on the last few years in the field of exergaming, a lot of the attention has been focused on using exergames as a way to increase physical activity (PA) and to be used as a new intervention for an exercise prescription (Exercise Rx).

However, in just the last year, I've noticed a new focus coming up...that of decreasing sedentary behavior. At first glance, this may seem like 2 sides of the same coin or mere semantics, but in fact, evidence is coming out that shows sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor compared to not doing the your exercise Rx.

In other words, someone who is doing their regular exercise Rx of 30 mins, 5x/wk, but then then is totally sedentary the other 23+ hours of the day (sleep, sitting at work, driving, etc.), is almost at the same risk as not doing your Exer. Rx at all!!! In other words, doing your workout does NOT protect you from being a couch potato the other 23 hours of the day!!!

A study that just came out highlights this in youth. Published by the American College of Sports Medicine, you can read more about it here.

What I like about this new focus is that now, instead of seeing which exergames meet the moderate to vigorous levels of intensity to qualify as "exercise", we are just focused on kids (and adults) being less sedentary!!! They talk about the benefits of JUST STANDING while talking on the phone, for example. With this level of physical activity, EVERY SINGLE exergame would qualify as an tool to decrease sedentary behavior!!!

Imagine schools, workplaces, homes, taking "sedentary vaccinations" by playing a game or two of some popular exergame every hour. It would be a nice mental break as well as a physical activity against sedentarianism.

I think we should encourage more research into the viability and effectiveness of exergames to break sedentary behavior. Then maybe, exergames will be more fully accepted by all those in the sports medicine and healthcare fields and promoted as a tool for their patients/client.

What do you think? Feel free to comment here or e-mail me at xrgamer1@gmail.com or post a message on my Facebook wall (Exergaming Interventionist).

New games 4 health journal debuts Feb!

This was copied from an e-mail update from the publishers of this new journal...enjoy! And if you're in this space, you definitely should subscribe to this journal. (Disclosure: I'm a member of the editorial board of this journal, but even if I wasn't, I would still encourage everyone to subscribe and support this new journal, our only journal dedicated to games for health!)

ARTICLES PLAYERS JOURNAL ADVERTISE MOBILE VERSION FORWARD The team behind Games for Health Journal wishes you a happy 2012 - a very promising year for health games research, development, and clinical applications and the launch of our print and online journal—powerful new resources to share and shape developments in this burgeoning field. And we came a long way in 2011. One of the developments of the year that caught my eye was Pamela Kato's work in validating the effectiveness of health games. While this is clearly early work, my sense is that as games become more popular vehicles for academic and clinical researchers to explore the theoretical potential for improving health, everyone from prescribing health care professionals to insurers to the families of the prospective end-users will seek assurance of the effectiveness and duration of game-influenced changes. Dr. Kato's clinical brief, Confirming Efficacy: Validating the Results of Health Games is featured in our upcoming inaugural issue of the Journal. With that, I'd like to take a moment to remind you all to subscribe now using the link below to ensure you will receive the inaugural issue of Games for Health Journal when it debuts in February. We have a very strong first issue with a powerful roundtable, interview, and profiles of health game innovators, as well as seven very interesting original articles, three informative clinical briefs, and additional content that will be of interest and use to all of us engaged in the many aspects of health games. I welcome your feedback regarding this e-newsletter. The Games for Health Industry Insider was originally launched to develop relationships with journal subscribers, authors, reviewers and the many other health game stakeholders. I hope the e-newsletter is achieving these goals. Please email me at bferguson@liebertpub.com to share your suggestions, comments, kudos, and criticisms of the Games for Health Industry Insider. Thank you. Have a healthy, happy, prosperous new year. Bill Ferguson, PhD Editor-in-Chief Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publisher's Games for Health Industry Insider Games for Health Journal: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications January 05, 2012 New Health Game Platform Connects Consumers and Insurers Washington, D.C.-based Audax Health, Inc. will soon offer a gaming platform designed to enable large insurers to offer incentives such as reduced premiums to their members with the goal of healthier member habits. Audax Chief Executive Officer Grant Verstandig recently said the innovative start-up has raised $16.5 million in angel funding and a Series A round from a very impressive roster of investors that includes former Apple Inc. Chief Executive John Sculley, former Aetna Inc. Chief Executive Jack Roe, current TIAA-CREF Chief Executive Roger Ferguson and New Leaf Venture Partners. Additionally, the company has put together a seasoned executive team with Chief Technology Officer Thor Ernsston, who came to the company from Zynga Inc., where he helped run Farmville, and other key executives from WebMD Inc. and the social network Ning Inc. Audax’ Careverge platform is intended to attract consumers for all information and all socializing related to their health, Verstandig said. Consumers will be able to access the site for free and Audax will garner much of its revenue from the large health-insurance providers who will also want to use the site, he said. The providers will be able to offer incentives-including lowered premiums-to members of their insurance plans in exchange for the members adopting healthier habits, something that can save insurers money in the long run, according to Verstandig. Videogames Engage Patient Interest, Provide Needed Exercise Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has found that many physical therapists are currently integrating the use of videogame consoles, such as the Kinect for Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii into their care protocols because the videogames engage the attention and interest of the patient while giving him or her the physical movement and exercise they need. The Hopkins team of experts concluded, “Although professionals in the medical field need to conduct further research to determine the physical therapy benefits and how the games help meet these goals, many physical therapists are carefully considering the integration of motion gaming as a patient treatment into their curriculum.” More information here New Online Videogame Redirects Frustration The new video game Free Mmorpg has been created to help people deal with stress and to avoid resultant self-destructive behaviors by increasing self-esteem. According to the Urban Alliance Foundation, many people who are fond of playing online videogames are introverted. Frequently when this population is under a great deal of stress, they seek something that will either bring them joy or help them to forget that the problem exists. According to the Foundation, this often shy population frequently seeks solace from smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, or addictive drugs to escape their stress. A better approach, they report, is to communicate with real people in the virtual world via online games. Success in the virtual game environment often translates to higher self-esteem and reduced stress. More information here Personal Growth Apps Score with Young Adults Mindbloom® sees a trend of young adults embracing online and mobile apps for personal growth over self-help books and life coaches. Discovering that nearly 65 percent of its users are young adults, Mindbloom found that young adults were four times more likely than baby boomers to use its Life Game mobile and Web app, which are designed to inspire people to define what's important, discover what motivates them, and take meaningful daily actions in all areas of their life. Throughout 2011, 80 percent of users focused on their health as their number one life priority by committing to simple actions like drinking more water, getting more sleep, and walking topping the list. Relationship-focused commitments like calling parents, spending time with close friends or saying 'I love you' followed health-related activities with about 70 percent interest from both genders. More information here The Travails of Game Developers Subject of Sundance Indie Film Health game developers may take comfort in knowing their challenges have caught the eye of an independent movie producer. A new film titled “Indie Game: The Movie” chronicles the desperate efforts of Edmund McMullen and his partner, Tommy Refenes to cram four months' worth of work into a two-month span if they want their new game to have any chance of success. Microsoft was offering to feature their game "Super Meat Boy" on the Xbox Live Arcade, the console system's downloadable game marketplace, but it needed to be finished for the October 2010 independent-game promotion. Canadian filmmakers James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot were planning a documentary on indie games and the people who make them--artists who forgo day jobs, the chance to work on the next "blockbuster" game, and even a measure of social interaction to bring their own visions to interactive life--and met Team Meat at the March 2010 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The resulting film is set to premiere Jan. 20 at the Sundance Film Festival, one of 12 selections in the World Documentary category. Burgeoning Eldercare Attracts Health Games Treatments Medical authorities in Singapore are deploying the latest technology as their rapidly aging population prepares for a "silver tsunami" as a result of longer life spans. Compounded by lower birth rates, the average age of Singaporeans is rapidly increasing. By 2030 an estimated 20 percent of the population will be 65 years or older, compared to 9.3 percent at present. To better prepare themselves for the demographic explosion, hospitals in the affluent city-state of five million people are using the latest available technology to augment their limited pool of health personnel. Bala Rajaratnam, a lecturer at the School of Health Sciences at Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore, states that new technologies including videogames “empower clients to take control over their recovery as well as maximize therapy time.” Future physical therapists at Nanyang Polytechnic use video game platforms such as the Nintendo Wii to help patients recover more quickly than they would using conventional methods. Other medical institutions in Singapore such as KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital as well as Changi General Hospital are also using videogames as part of their repertoire of therapy. “The targeted patient population includes people with neurological conditions such as stroke, acquired brain injury, and Parkinson’s Disease,” said Jean Tan, a senior physiotherapist at Changi who goes on to say, “Any patients with balance deficits and decreased arm function will also benefit from these games.” Mindset Differences Impact Response, Outcomes of Serious Games Researchers at Michigan State University have found that abstract individual beliefs regarding their flexibility may predict their response and outcome in learning from serious games. According to Y.H. Lee, Carrie Heeter, Brian Magerko, and Ben Medler, “Individuals with growth mindsets believe their abilities can develop with practice and effort, whereas individuals with fixed mindsets believe their abilities are static and cannot improve.” The studies also indicate that growth mindset players performed better than fixed mindset players, their mistakes did not affect their attention to the game, and they are more likely to utilize feedback than fixed mindset players. Growth mindset players were also more likely to actively seek difficult challenges, which are often essential to self-directed learning, according to the researchers. More information here Adults with Cystic Fibrosis Have Videogame Options A recent study conducted by researchers at Queensland, Australia’s Allied Health Research Collaborative has found that video game-based exercise provides similar cardiovascular demand as traditional exercise modalities. After studying 19 adults with cystic fibrosis who had been hospitalized for treatment of pulmonary exacerbation, the team concluded that the conventional treadmill or cycle ergometer was no more effective than the video game exercise in heart rate or energy expenditure. However, patients rated the videogames to be “more enjoyable” than the more traditional interventions. A related discussion by Games for Health Journal editorial board member Peter Bingham from the University of Vermont can be found in the inaugural issue of the Journal. More information here Games are Great Teaching Tool for Physicians Researchers Laura de Wit-Zuurendonk and Guid Oei from the Department of Obstetrics at Maxima Medical Center in Veldhoven, The Netherlands report videogames are a new resource in medical education. The games have the potential to become an important tool for healthcare professionals for learning a range of techniques including surgical skills, especially for laparoscopy; clinical decision-making; and patient interaction. More information here Long-time game developer and European University Cyprus assistant professor Georgios Christou has written a very interesting treatise on how to evaluate the usability of a video game. Intended to be applicable for all types of videogames, the assessment process certainly applies to the developers and prescribers of health games to optimize their interest, engagement, utility, and effects. ABC News technology reviewer Scott Steinberg is launching a new book series, “The Modern Parent’s Guide,” and a companion video, “Family Tech: Technology for Parents and Kids.” One of Steinberg’s assertions is that surgeons who regularly play videogames are generally more skilled at performing laparoscopic surgery. The book goes on to say: “Besides offering medical students the ability to practice on patients (which is much safer in the digital world), simulations offer health care providers several upsides. Chief among them are the abilities to make better choices, see results more clearly, and apply information immediately.” More information here Games for health experts Katharina Stephenson from the University of Vienna Faculty of Philosophy and Education (Austria); Helmut Hlavacs, head of the research group Entertainment Computing at the University of Vienna; Fredrik Debong, co-founder of MySugr Apps, a startup in Vienna which develops mobile applications conquering diabetes; and Mario Lehenbauer, psychologist and psychological game developer at the Faculty of Psychology at the Vienna University presented their experiences with health-related games at the recent Association of Gaming with a Purpose conference in Vienna. The next Gaming with a Purpose Conference discusses ‘Games on Education’ and will take place on April 17, 2012. More information here Jason Bond of JasonBondPicks.com is upbeat on investing in health games accessories. According to Bond, Mat Catz Interactive (AMEX:MCZ) which designs, manufactures, markets, sells, and distributes accessories for videogame platforms and personal computers, as well as for iPod and other audio devices, is a good investment for 2012. Games for Health Journal editorial board member, Kognito CEO Ron Goldman invites all to the next NYC Health Games Meetup which will take place in late January at NYU's Kimball Hall. The time and date will be announced via the link below. The theme of this meeting will be games that are used to support veterans, military personnel, and their families in the areas of health and behavioral health. The meeting will feature two presentations followed by Q&A and networking time. You can RSVP and attendance is free. Games for Health Journal: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications is a new, bimonthly peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the development, use, and applications of game technology for improving physical and mental health and well-being. The Journal breaks new ground as the first to address this emerging, widely-recognized, and increasingly adopted area of healthcare. Games are rapidly becoming an important tool for improving health behaviors ranging from healthy lifestyle habits and behavior modification to self-management of illness and chronic conditions to motivating and supporting physical activity. Games are also increasingly used to train health care professionals in methods for diagnosis, medical procedures, patient monitoring, as well as for responding to epidemics and natural disasters. Games for Health Journal is a must for anyone interested in the research and design of health games that integrate well-tested, evidence-based behavioral health strategies to help improve health behaviors and to support the delivery of care. Learn More Subscribe back to top This email was sent by: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot Street, 3rd Floor New Rochelle, NY, 10801-5215, USA IMPORTANT! Make sure you receive your chosen Mary Ann Liebert e-Newsletters, alerts and news updates. Add updates@liebertpub.com to your Address Book or Safe Senders List. You have received this email at emedina@epiclp.com. Please follow the link to Unsubscribe.

Autism & exergaming study!

9-16-11: Just came across this study on autism and exergaming. Good stuff! Check it out:

http://www.dovepress.com/autism-and-exergaming-effects-on-repetitive-behaviors-and-cognition-peer-reviewed-article-PRBM

Makoto on ESPN!

9-16-11: Just rec'd the following from a friend...be sure not to miss one of our leading exergaming companies on ESPN!!!!
*****

The new Makoto Arena II is being features on the ESPN Show "Rise UP" on October 4th at 7PM EDT!

Tune in to see how Makoto helped to transform this inner-city Chicago High school and bring a re-energized sense of excitement and enthusiasm to their athletic program.
******

I had the pleasure of checking the Arena II out just before they started shipping last Nov. on a tour of the Makoto facilities with Marian and Dave. Let's just say they had to clean up the drool from their test unit after I left! LOL!

Kudos to Marian and Dave for getting on ESPN! Hopefully someday, the NAGL Finals will be showcased there. (Put in a good word for us, Dave or Marian!).

Exergaming getting hot in healthcare!

9-8-11: Taken from Mobihealth....good stuff! Ernie

Video games are hot in healthcare right now
Posted By Neil Versel On September 8, 2011

A fringe topic not too long ago, the subject gained a sense of legitimacy in July, when publisher Mary Ann Liebert Inc. introduced a new journal called Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications. The first issue is due out this fall.

That’s right, there’s now a peer-reviewed, scientific journal specifically examining the role video games can play in advancing individual and population health, the healthcare industry and personal wellness. And this week, Liebert announced a companion newsletter called Games for Health Industry Insider, which starts publication on Sept. 29. I can see both titles being good resources for MobiHealthNews.

If you think this is an anomaly or a journal that’s ahead of its time, may I remind you that the Journal of the American Medical Association published a paper earlier this year that said video games deserve “serious attention” in healthcare.

Adding further weight to the notion that gaming can be an important part of healthcare, the University of Missouri just released news about a study underway at the school that incorporates Microsoft Kinect motion-sensing technology to help prevent falls and spot other potential health problems in seniors. A related study uses motion sensors from widely available security systems.

Researchers from Mizzou’s Sinclair School of Nursing and School of Engineering installed Kinect for Xbox 360 in a Columbia, Mo., nursing home and gave wearable sensors to residents to help measure changes in gait, a key indicator of the likelihood of falls. Additional sensors on beds were used to detect changes in sleeping patterns. Alerts get sent to nursing staff when there is a change that might signify a health issue.

“The potential that we’ve learned for early illness detection could revolutionize what’s happening in the way that we diagnose problems of older adults. We know from the research that we can pick things up 10 days to two weeks before critical health-change events happen,” nursing professor Marilyn Rantz said in a video released by the university.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Microsoft itself joined in. On the Microsoft HealthBlog, Dr. Bill Crounse, the Redmond Empire’s senior director for worldwide health, promoted the latest episode of Microsoft Health Tech Today, the company’s online talk show about how the company’s technology is advancing healthcare.

The subject of the newest video? Kinect.

Gaming in health—particularly mobile gaming—also is the subject of a forthcoming MobiHealthNews report. If you recall, Dr. Leslie Saxon, executive director of the University of Southern California’s Center for Body Computing, said last month that she’d like to take a mobile gaming app like Angry Birds and “diabetize it.”

Yes, we’re hearing a lot lately about gaming in health and healthcare. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Ever since Nintendo debuted the Wii Fit as a fitness tool in 2008, gaming for health has started to break out of a niche and become mainstream. It seems as if we’re now reaching critical mass.

Article taken from mobihealthnews - http://mobihealthnews.comURL to article: http://mobihealthnews.com/13078/health-gaming-reaches-critical-mass/

Striiv: a new device that makes daily life an exergame!

9-1-11: A new product, Striiv, which will come out in Oct., is positioning itself as a device to make daily life an exergame! Read about the full report here.

Stiiv is accepting pre-orders now, though when I tried to place mine, I got an error page so I contacted them and hopefully can get it straightened out.

What's interesting is that other than the $99 initial cost for the device, there are no other subscription fees (so far!), so we'll see what other business models they incorporate.

You can check Stiive out at http://www.striiv.com/.

New peer-reviewed games for health journal!!!

7-13-11: just rec'd this in my e-mail! Check it out http://tinyurl.com/G4HJournal, especially since it seems to get chopped in half here. Then be sure to subscribe!!!

ON THE WEB

CONTACT US

ShareThis

Contact: Vicki Cohn Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (914) 740-2100, ext. 2156 vcohn@liebertpub.com

Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications; A Groundbreaking New Journal on the Applications of Digital Games to Human Health New Rochelle, NY, July 13, 2011–Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. announces the launch of Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications (G4H), a new, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the development, use, and applications of game technology for improving physical and mental health and well-being. The Journal breaks new ground as the first to address this emerging, widely-recognized, and increasingly adopted area of healthcare. Published bi-monthly, Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications will be released in fall 2011. Games are rapidly becoming an important tool for improving health behaviors ranging from healthy lifestyle habits and behavior modification to self-management of illnesses and chronic conditions to motivating and supporting physical activity. Commonly used applications include mobile phone-delivered games that track daily exercise and “exergames” that require physical exertion in order to play (e.g., on platforms such as the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation Move, and Xbox Kinect). Games are also increasingly used to train healthcare professionals in methods for diagnosis, medical procedures, patient monitoring, as well as for responding to epidemics and natural disasters. Billions of dollars and immeasurable hours of research and development are being invested in developing and employing sophisticated software and technologies that deliver tailored, personalized game-based healthcare interventions. Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications will provide a print and online forum for peer-reviewed research articles, new system and game reviews, field news and reports, convention and event announcements, book reviews, and point-counterpoint discussions to support professionals in the field. “This research journal will be an authoritative and influential resource for decision makers who purchase, use, prescribe, recommend, design, publish, fund, or invest in digital games for health, and it will serve our research field and its related academic disciplines in many valuable ways,” according to Debra Lieberman, PhD, Director of the Health Games Research national program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “The Journal will be a starting point for anyone interested in the research and design of health games that integrate well-tested, evidence-based behavioral health strategies to help improve health behaviors and to support the delivery of care.” Forthcoming articles for early issues of Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications include research on the effectiveness and design strategies of: Games intended to develop the social skills of people with conditions such as autism Exergames aimed at motivating more activity in physical education classes An alternate realty game designed to increase physical activity Exergames for young adults and families Games to help treat eating disorders and habits such as smoking Games to improve cognitive function in older adults The use of simulations to help develop the interpersonal skills of family members of veterans suffering from PTSD “The benefits of games for health—from autism to Alzheimer’s to heart disease and other illnesses and conditions—are demonstrating significant promise for improving the way people manage their health and for the delivery of care both in and out of the hospital setting,” said Mary Ann Liebert, president and CEO of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. “Games for Health: Research, Development, and Clinical Applications is a critical and much-needed forum for this evolving area of healthcare.” The new journal is under the editorial leadership of Bill Ferguson, PhD with expert input from a diverse editorial board which includes researchers: Debra Lieberman, PhD (University of California, Santa Barbara); Tom Baranowski, PhD (Baylor School of Medicine); Martin E. P. Seligman, PhD (University of Pennsylvania); Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD (University of California, San Francisco); Peter Bingham, MD (University of Vermont); Barbara Chamberlin, PhD (New Mexico State University); Wei Peng, PhD (Michigan State University); Sam Yohannan PT, MS, (Cornell Medical Center); and many other leaders from the research community. Industry, technology, and other experts on the Editorial Board include Jim Bower, PhD (Whyville), Ron Goldman (Kognito) Benjamin Heckendorn (The Ben Heck Show), Ernie Medina, Dr. P.H. (MedPlay Technologies), Ketan Paranjape BS, MS, MBA (Intel Corporation), Russell Shilling, PhD, Capt. USN (DARPA); and Eric Zuckerman, DO (Pediatric IBD Foundation). Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking; Telemedicine and e-Health; and Population Health Management. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available at our website. This email was sent by: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot Street, 3rd Floor New Rochelle, NY, 10801-5215, USA

Interactive tools for increasing fitness

Check out the latest post on a presentation I did at the recent ACSM Summit in April. You can read about it on my Exrgaming Interventionist blog. (Thx to TEN and Steven Yang for posting!)

Latest CA PE report

Rec'd this from a colleague over at San Bernardino County Public Health, Pam Sampson!
***************************************

Good afternoon Fit 2Gether partners and LIAs,

Last one for the day. Thought you may be interested in the Health Policy Brief from UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. See summary below, and the policy brief attached or visit, http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/pubs/files/adolescentpepb.pdf. …Pam

FYI: CA recommends 200 minutes/every 10 days for elementary and 400 minutes/every 10 days for middle & high school, but NASPE recommends 150 minutes/week plus one 20 minute recess/day for elementary and 225 minutes/week for middle & high school.

__________________________________________________________

May 2011

Adolescent Physical Education and Physical Activity in California

Allison L. Diamant, Susan H. Babey and Joelle Wolstein

S UMMA R Y: In California, more than 1.3 million adolescents (38%) do not participate in physical education (PE) at school, and this rate increases dramatically with age, from just 5% at age 12 to 77% at age 17. In addition, only 19% of teens meet current physical activity recommendations. Participation in PE at school is associated with more overall physical activity. Policies that promote more opportunities for physical activity, including those that help schools meet or exceed current PE requirements, can contribute to greater levels of physical activity for adolescents.

Wrap-up of the 7th Games for Health conf....

5-26-11: Whew! The 7th Annual Games for Health Conf. is now history. And what a conference it was! This was, by far, the best conf. for me personally, on so many levels. Great people, networking, all the sessions, expo tent, new products, after-hour socials, kicking off mobile Adventure Walks and NAGL...the list could go on and on. Even the rainy overcast weather couldn't dampen the excitement that ran through the conference, at least for me.

Maybe it was because I was so dang busy! LOL! Besides kicking off and promoting 2 new start-ups with friends there, I had 2 presentations and was on Team 5METS in competition with a team of young hotshot developers from UC Berkeley, led by just-graduated Ann Beaver and friends. (Ok, we lost, but we did our best and they were great sports. Next year, we'll be sure to take our Ben Gay and Geritol to better our chances! LOL!)

Kudos to Ben Sawyer and Beth Bryant for all their hard work in organizing and putting this conference on. (Hope Beth is enjoying her new MacAir that she received Wed. night for her b-day!) Also great job by Ed Kasanders and Parker Johnson (Motion Fitness) for organizing and running the exergame expo tent. The times that I was there, it was quite busy and people were playing the games and getting involved. (Special thanks for allowing MedPlay Tech's newest employee, Elena Butoiu, to work and train under your guidance. She learned a lot in this intensive exergaming experience!)

I'm going to try and highlight some key things here for me. I've included links below for other wrap ups (as I get them), URLs to pictures, and where you can find the presentations.

If you want to feel like you were there, check out the tweet thread by searching for #g4h11 and see what many of us were tweeting during the conference!

Let me start by talking about some cool innovative stuff I found there that I think you might be interested in:

1. Zamzee - We've been hearing about this HopeLab initiative for a few years now. Well it's about to come to fruition this summer! Check out their website! For those who don't know, this is a kid-friendly accelerometer that is connected with an online incentive reward program. Take more steps, earn more Zamzee points to get prizes!

2. S2H - Here's another accelerometer-based incentive reward system for all ages. I'm wearing the wrist band now and for every 60 mins. of activity, I enter in a code that will help me accrue points which I can use to get prize. Available now.

3. mobile Adventure Walks - We did a demo walk on the Back Bay and it was a blast, even in the rain! Looking for clues and solving the riddles makes this walking app more appealing and inviting. It's not just another tracking device! Sign up for updates at the website, this free app will be available this summer.

4. NAGL - The National Active Gaming League kicked off here at G4H. Still in construction, this league for "active gaming athletes" will provide structure and training to those wanting to be involved on a team and go to competitions and meets. Learn more about this and how you can get involved at our website (a HUGE thanks to Tommy Seilheimer for getting our website up and running the week before the conf!) A drawing for a Xavix Tennis system is still going on today so sign up for our e-newsletter today! (Another huge thanks to SSD's Peter Newman for being the first official NAGL sponsor with this donation!)

5. Positive Psychology - I wasn't expecting to learn something on psychology, but one of the key notes, Dr. Martin Seligman, who is the "father of positive psychology", was awesome! You may be wondering how this relates to games for health...well you'll just have to get his book, "Flourish", and find out! Here's a clue: Jane McGonical is mentioned in the book, so he definitely talks about video games. I bought his book there, he signed it, and I started reading it on the flight home. It's amazing and a must-read! I even ordered one for a friend who was there but missed his talk. You can also go to his website and learn more about positive psychology, take any of his assessment tests for free, etc. Great call by Ben and Beth for being able to get him to speak!

5. President's Council on Sports, Nutrition, and Fitness - While there were many excellent sessions on a wide variety of topics, one that stands out in my mind is the session by PCSNF Exec. Dir. Shellie Pohfl. She talked about how "active gaming" can be used as a tool for increasing movement and physical activity, and that she looks forward to integrating and collaborating more with the active gaming community! Great to have that kind of support from the federal level. Next stop: Let's Move!!!


WRAP UP
Motion Fitness's wrap up
TEN
TEN blog

PIXS (these are mine from Facebook albums)
Pre-conf (mobile track)
Day 1
Day 2

PRESENTATIONS
www.slideshare.net, search "Games for Health 2011"
TEN presentation

If you have links to more pictures, video clips, wrap-ups, presentations, etc., feel free to e-mail them to me so I can add them to this blog.

Enjoy! Already looking forward to Games for Health 2012! Be sure to save the date: June 6-8, 2012, Boston, MA, Hyatt Harborside.

Can Wii make you fit?

5-22-11: Check out this article that quotes some character named Medina! ;-)

http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/can-wii-make-you-fit-the-arguments-for-and-against-1530/

Game Makers Push Fitness - CNBC

Healthy Business — Special Report — Game Makers Push Fitness To Health Clubs - CNBC

5-22-11: A good intro article with quotes from Motion Fitness's Ed Kasanders and researcher guru Dr. Ann Maloney. Glad to see exergaming getting exposure on CNBC! At least they didn't say that exergames were totally useless. ;-)

As for Fuze Fit's Dave Jame's comments on kid's picking the Trampoline over the Wii, it's too bad that they didn't print the rest of what he probably said: that there are a lot of other kids who would prefer the wii over the trampoline!

The bottom line is that we need to use ALL the tools available to us--exergaming tools AND traditional exercise tools--to get kids to move more. Just because some kids choose the trampoline over the Wii doesn't mean exergames are a waste--NO! As long as they are moving more than they were...that's the key!!!

In my experience with the Xrtainment Zone, our kids overweight classes (Family Fit Zone), & our classes at Beaver Med Group, exergames DO reach kids who aren't into the traditional, so I'm grateful we have this tool to use!

Ernie Medina, Jr., DrPH
Exergaming Interventionist
MedPlayTech.com

Can exergames replace treadmill workouts?

5-12-11 Thx to Exergaming Evangelist from Down Under, Brett, for tweeting and posting this on FB!

Heart Rate and Perceived Exertion During Self-Selected Intensities for Exergaming Compared to Traditional Exercise in College-Age Participants

Kraft, Justin A; Russell, William D; Bowman, Tracy A; Selsor, Clifford W III; Foster, Grant D

Check out this just published article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, March 2011.

They compared workouts on DDR and Gamebike to treadmill and here's what they found:

"Results support that exergames are capable of eliciting physiological responses necessary for fitness improvements. Practitioners might consider exergames as periodic activity options for clients needing motivation to be regularly active."

The evidence just keeps coming out that certain exergames CAN reach the MVPA level!

Military uses DDR to read satellite data

5-11-11: Thx to Dr. Ann Maloney for this link...interesting! Read how the military is using DDR to read satellite images. Click here.